So after two months of planning and getting everything ready, I'm fully prepared to bring my first beardie into my life. With one problem. I can't find any!! I really want an adult and I prefer a dragon with a history of less than ideal care so I can spoil it. But now that i'm ready, there are none to be found! Well, that isn't totally true. Someone is selling a pair of brothers for 100 with a 40 gallon near me and I asked if I could take one. They never responded. I'm tempted to send them the link to the page about why you shouldn't cohabitate. But I digress.
I don't like how they care for the animals at either reptile store I've been to and I would like to say I'm not interested in going back, but I'm getting impatient and ready to make a bad decision like that.
The thing is, I want a bearded dragon NOW. My dad is coming to visit for a week next Tuesday and I wanted to get a Beardie before then because otherwise my dad won't get to see it until he comes to visit next year (he lives 2,000 miles away).
I feel like I've spent enough time being patient. There were 5 good-looking Beardies for sale on CL 2 months ago, when I wasn't ready in any aspect.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Living with Roaches
When I first decided I wanted a Bearded Dragon, I said no thanks to the idea of breeding my own feeders. But then I learned how easy it really is to keep these little guys. Once they're established, you have a food source for life.
They have a larger meat to shell ratio than crickets, they're practically silent (they make noise as they crawl on each other), they don't smell and you can feed less because one Dubia has way more meat than a cricket. I don't know if this is accurate, but someone mentioned this on a forum I found when I googled "dubia vs. cricket". I assume they meant crickets of the same length.
Roaches need a 12-16 gallon plastic tub. Dark is better.
A heat source (heat pad, CHE) to keep the tank around 90 with a hot and cool side.
Egg carton flats or something to hide in (you can order them online or go to your local Denny's after breakfast and ask nicely)
Water gel crystals because sponges stink and babies love to drown themselves in standing water
A ventilation hole with a screen covering
Slick packing tape to stick around the edges of the bin (Dubias are extremely poor climbers, but the babies can climb the sides by static electricity)
This is what my setup looks like, because I always forget to go out and find some egg flats on weekends. The heated side is on the right and the roaches tend to hang around on that end. Right now I'm using a very small reptile heating pad, but I'm thinking about buying a large one for humans the next time I go to the store.
About a month ago, I ordered a colony of 200 medium sized Dubia Nymphs for $31.50. They arrived in the middle of a heat wave and despite my request they be held at the post office, they were sent out for delivery. I was really concerned they would all be dead, even though it was only 93 that day (102 the day before).
But I opened the bag and they were all alive and happy. I really enjoy checking on them every other day. I like how they go through an orange slice like a bunch of little piranhas and they just lay on top of their roach chow while they eat.
Their chow is half a cup of dog food, half a cup of cat food, half a cup of cheerios and a quarter cup of fish flakes. I mixed it in the blender, but it's old so I didn't get a superfine chop. Oh well. They don't mind. It's important to give them a high-protein diet or they can start to cannibalize each other. They get assorted greens and squashes. Whatever you plan on feeding your Beardie, you should feed to your roachies as well.
They go crazy for oranges. I've been told it's like an aphrodisiac. None of my nymphs are adults yet. Although, when I cleaned out their tank today, I saw one that has lengthened out and looks like it may only need to moult one more time before it's an adult. I am absolutely giddy about this!
Don't underestimate the power of the water crystals. I did and I paid a hefty price. Just one 1/4 cup of crystals makes over a gallon of gel, if not two. I was not aware of this. That gallon is going to last me a year at this rate. I haven't even made a dent in the past month.
I had a really hard time finding this stuff. Lowe's carried a bag that wasn't 100% polyacrylmide for about $13. I gave in and went over to walmart. The crystals are in the gardening area, next to the plant food. This little bag was $7 and will last me forever, I think!
Roaches may give you the heebie-jeebies but over time, you may come to appreciate them. Notice the white one in this picture. It's freshly molted and I think it's absolutely ADORABLE how they still have black eyes, but it's a small line, like they're squinting. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. And when their exoskeleton is just starting to harden, they take on this mottled gray color and look kind of pretty.
I feel like I've been taken over and I just love them. I can't wait for them to start breeding! In the mean time, my future dragon will be getting crickets and phoenix worms. Maybe a male or two every once in a while. Here is a photo comparison I found online. This way you never feed any females.
I hope this has helped you get over the stigma of spending large sums of money on cockroaches and breeding them in your closet. :)
They have a larger meat to shell ratio than crickets, they're practically silent (they make noise as they crawl on each other), they don't smell and you can feed less because one Dubia has way more meat than a cricket. I don't know if this is accurate, but someone mentioned this on a forum I found when I googled "dubia vs. cricket". I assume they meant crickets of the same length.
- Newborn nymph- 1-3 crickets
- Small nymph- 3-5 crickets
- Medium nymph- 5 crickets
- Large nymph- 8 crickets
- Adult dubia- 8-10 crickets
Roaches need a 12-16 gallon plastic tub. Dark is better.
A heat source (heat pad, CHE) to keep the tank around 90 with a hot and cool side.
Egg carton flats or something to hide in (you can order them online or go to your local Denny's after breakfast and ask nicely)
Water gel crystals because sponges stink and babies love to drown themselves in standing water
A ventilation hole with a screen covering
Slick packing tape to stick around the edges of the bin (Dubias are extremely poor climbers, but the babies can climb the sides by static electricity)
This is what my setup looks like, because I always forget to go out and find some egg flats on weekends. The heated side is on the right and the roaches tend to hang around on that end. Right now I'm using a very small reptile heating pad, but I'm thinking about buying a large one for humans the next time I go to the store.
About a month ago, I ordered a colony of 200 medium sized Dubia Nymphs for $31.50. They arrived in the middle of a heat wave and despite my request they be held at the post office, they were sent out for delivery. I was really concerned they would all be dead, even though it was only 93 that day (102 the day before).
They go crazy for oranges. I've been told it's like an aphrodisiac. None of my nymphs are adults yet. Although, when I cleaned out their tank today, I saw one that has lengthened out and looks like it may only need to moult one more time before it's an adult. I am absolutely giddy about this!
I had a really hard time finding this stuff. Lowe's carried a bag that wasn't 100% polyacrylmide for about $13. I gave in and went over to walmart. The crystals are in the gardening area, next to the plant food. This little bag was $7 and will last me forever, I think!
I feel like I've been taken over and I just love them. I can't wait for them to start breeding! In the mean time, my future dragon will be getting crickets and phoenix worms. Maybe a male or two every once in a while. Here is a photo comparison I found online. This way you never feed any females.
I hope this has helped you get over the stigma of spending large sums of money on cockroaches and breeding them in your closet. :)
Monday, August 13, 2012
Preparedness update
-
A proper sized tank(Upgraded to a 75 Gallon) A UVB lightA light fixture for the UV bulba 75 watt household bulbA ceramic, reflective heat lamp- A basking spot
Tank substrate(3 17 1/4"x17 1/4" ceramic tiles, one cut to 12")A digital probe thermometer- A hide
A bowl for wormsA salad bowlCalcium Supplement (5x a week)Vitamin Supplement (2x a week)(Bought these both from a seller on Amazon.com, even with shipping, they were $3 cheaper than in the pet store.
I want to find a flat, soft stuffed animal for my new baby to cuddle with. I also need to buy some fleece from the craft store to make a blankie and some Mod Podge to seal the basking area. I also want to order a harness from here.
I've had some real setbacks with the basking area. I decided to try and make a bridge to close the gap between the two areas I built that aren't long enough for the new, larger tank. I squirted the liquid nails on super thick and let it set for about 8 hours before slopping on the grout. Needless to say, the bridge fell apart. So I tried re-gluing it. It fell apart again. And one more time. I learned my lesson and stopped being impatient. I squirted on a thin layer and let it rest 36 hours. I'm going to go grout soon, I hope. Every day I'm impatient, I set myself back a day. I want to get one before my dad and sister come visit at the end of the month, and I also want to give it time to adjust before then. I'm just running out of time.
Well, off to put on my groutin' clothes and get some work done.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
What do you do when the basking area you've been working on doesn't fit?
Buy a 75 gallon tank for $100 from someone on Craigslist. 
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
What have I been up to?
Life has been a little busy for me lately and I haven't had time to focus on working on my Beardie Project.
I have been researching a lot about feeder insects to feed my dragon while I'm waiting for the Dubia colony to expand.
So far, none of my Dubias are of breeding age, but they're eating lots of oranges and shedding a lot, which I'm happy about. I check on them every other day to see if they need more water and to give them more orange slices. I need to find a place to procure some cardboard egg flats for my little roaches to climb. The noise they make as they run all over each other is a little unsettling, but I like them and I think they're pretty interesting.
I bought two 17"x17" inch ceramic tiles from Lowes and they fit snugly inside the 40 Gallon tank, width-wise. There's a bit of a large gap, lengthwise so the grout lines are a little different, but the basking area/playground will hide most of it. I grouted the tile with a dot of caulk on the middle of the tile to hold it in place and caulked all the way around. It's a lot easier to pop the tiles out and clean this way. Plus I don't have to worry about sealing the grout.
I've been working on my styrofoam basking area/hide thing. It will take up the back half of the tank and will have an Australian rock theme. I'm pretty excited about it, I hope it looks the way I imagine it will.
I'll have to post pictures of my Dubia colony and the tiles when I get home from work.
I have been researching a lot about feeder insects to feed my dragon while I'm waiting for the Dubia colony to expand.
So far, none of my Dubias are of breeding age, but they're eating lots of oranges and shedding a lot, which I'm happy about. I check on them every other day to see if they need more water and to give them more orange slices. I need to find a place to procure some cardboard egg flats for my little roaches to climb. The noise they make as they run all over each other is a little unsettling, but I like them and I think they're pretty interesting.
I bought two 17"x17" inch ceramic tiles from Lowes and they fit snugly inside the 40 Gallon tank, width-wise. There's a bit of a large gap, lengthwise so the grout lines are a little different, but the basking area/playground will hide most of it. I grouted the tile with a dot of caulk on the middle of the tile to hold it in place and caulked all the way around. It's a lot easier to pop the tiles out and clean this way. Plus I don't have to worry about sealing the grout.
I've been working on my styrofoam basking area/hide thing. It will take up the back half of the tank and will have an Australian rock theme. I'm pretty excited about it, I hope it looks the way I imagine it will.
I'll have to post pictures of my Dubia colony and the tiles when I get home from work.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Let's talk cost: Pet Store vs. ANYWHERE else.
This is a post I've been meaning to make, more for my own curiosity than anything. I'm going to list the items I've bought so far and compare their prices with Petsmart. I'm almost completely ready for a beardie and I have yet to buy a single thing at an actual pet store. The closest I've come is ordering the UVB tube from a pet supply store on Amazon.com. I will list the Calcium and Vitamin powder, which I haven't bought yet, but will buy from Petsmart, since with shipping, it's just about the same price to order online.
As you can see, it pays to do your homework. Most items sold at the pet store with a reptile name brand on them have ridiculous markup. Not to mention all the items they want you to buy that you don't actually need like sand substrate or a dial thermometer to stick on the side of the tank.
With a little creativity and a lot of research, you can find everything you need without ever setting foot in the pet store. Just cheat and order stuff online. :) But really, one thing I've learned since joining the Bearded Dragon forum is the hardware store is your new friend. Get to know it and you'll have a great relationship.
PS. I didn't mention food in here, which costs that other arm and leg. I'm currently caring for a starter colony of Dubia Cockroaches. They're your ultimate discount. Spend $50 on them now, let them get settled for a few months and start to breed and if you care for them right, you have an unlimited supply of food for your reptile for the rest of its life!
- 40 Gallon breeder tank with locking lid: $50 on Craigslist ($110 at Petsmart)
- 24" UVB tube: $9!! on Amazon.com- it was a one time chance but still amazing ($50 at Petsmart)
- 24" Strip light: $9 at Wal-Mart ($50-$130?!! at Petsmart)
- 75 watt heat bulb: $.45 at Target ($7-$30 at Petsmart) Though in fairness, I may shell out the $30 for a ceramic heat emitter bulb this winter.
- Ceramic dome heat lamp: Free with tank ($12-$50 at Petsmart)
- Digital probe thermometer: $13 at Wal-Mart ($16 on Petsmart.com)
- Light timer : $5 at Menards Hardware ($11 at Petsmart)
- 2 18"x18" ceramic tiles: $4 at Home Depot ($9-$15 depending on what substrate you choose, not that any are actually appropriate for Beardies)
- Caulk to seal tiles: $1.50 at Home depot
- Styrofoam for Basking area/hide: Free (This one is tricky because there are so many types of wood or resin basking thingies and then you factor in hides so I'd say $25- $150)
- 5 lb box Non-Sanded Grout: $6 at Home Depot
- Mod Podge Non-Toxic Sealer: $5 at Hobby Lobby
- 2-3 food bowls: Free with tank ($7 each at Petsmart)
- Rep-Cal calcium powder: $9 at Petsmart
- Rep-Cal vitamin powder: $15 at Petsmart
As you can see, it pays to do your homework. Most items sold at the pet store with a reptile name brand on them have ridiculous markup. Not to mention all the items they want you to buy that you don't actually need like sand substrate or a dial thermometer to stick on the side of the tank.
With a little creativity and a lot of research, you can find everything you need without ever setting foot in the pet store. Just cheat and order stuff online. :) But really, one thing I've learned since joining the Bearded Dragon forum is the hardware store is your new friend. Get to know it and you'll have a great relationship.
PS. I didn't mention food in here, which costs that other arm and leg. I'm currently caring for a starter colony of Dubia Cockroaches. They're your ultimate discount. Spend $50 on them now, let them get settled for a few months and start to breed and if you care for them right, you have an unlimited supply of food for your reptile for the rest of its life!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Last night I had a dream about a little dragon
I ordered a starter colony of Dubia Roaches and now it's starting to feel real that I'll actually get a Beardie soon! I've been watching the tracking and I was hoping they'd arrive today, but it looks like they'll be here tomorrow. I'll make a post about it, with photos tomorrow night.
I dreamt I was in target, but it had a pet area. Like with puppies, birds, fish, whatever. The weird thing is I dream about that pet store every once in a while. It's always the same, but it shows up in different places in my dream. But that doesn't matter. Just something interesting I've noticed.
I had found three awesome books on clearance for less than $2 each and there, on the floor next to the pet area was an adult bearded dragon. Just chilling out.
I picked him up and helped him hang on to my shirt so I could hold my books. Then I met up with my boyfriend and asked him to take my books. He took the beardie, haha! He was instantly smitten, which is really unlike him. All reptiles make him uncomfortable.
So we were walking up to the register, doting on the little guy and I told the cashier we had found him. She called her manager and got in contact with whoever lost him.
As we were walking outside, I tried rubbing his cheek, but he bit me and left my finger bleeding. A lot. But I just told myself it was because it was dark and my finger surprised him. It didn't stop me from cooing and fawning over him as we walked to our car. My boyfriend was really enjoying him, too. It was so cute.
Sadly, his owner was outside and stopped us before we could get to our car. I was planning on setting him up in my half-ready tank for the night. We talked for a while and handed him over.
Sorry the dream wasn't interesting. I just wanted to share it on my little dragon blog. I can't wait to actually hold my new beardie. I wonder of my boyfriend will like it, too?
I dreamt I was in target, but it had a pet area. Like with puppies, birds, fish, whatever. The weird thing is I dream about that pet store every once in a while. It's always the same, but it shows up in different places in my dream. But that doesn't matter. Just something interesting I've noticed.
I had found three awesome books on clearance for less than $2 each and there, on the floor next to the pet area was an adult bearded dragon. Just chilling out.
I picked him up and helped him hang on to my shirt so I could hold my books. Then I met up with my boyfriend and asked him to take my books. He took the beardie, haha! He was instantly smitten, which is really unlike him. All reptiles make him uncomfortable.
So we were walking up to the register, doting on the little guy and I told the cashier we had found him. She called her manager and got in contact with whoever lost him.
As we were walking outside, I tried rubbing his cheek, but he bit me and left my finger bleeding. A lot. But I just told myself it was because it was dark and my finger surprised him. It didn't stop me from cooing and fawning over him as we walked to our car. My boyfriend was really enjoying him, too. It was so cute.
Sadly, his owner was outside and stopped us before we could get to our car. I was planning on setting him up in my half-ready tank for the night. We talked for a while and handed him over.
Sorry the dream wasn't interesting. I just wanted to share it on my little dragon blog. I can't wait to actually hold my new beardie. I wonder of my boyfriend will like it, too?
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